Abiodun Grants 200 Fadama Graduates Land, Loans under Anchor Borrowers Scheme

Sunday Okobi

The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has disclosed that the 200 beneficiaries of the Ogun State Fadama 3 Graduate Unemployed Youths Scheme (Fadama Guys) would be given automatic slots to be the first set of farmers that would derive grants from the state Anchor Borrowers Programme launched last Monday in the state.

The governor, who made this known at the official flag-off ceremony for Fadama Graduate Unemployed Youths Scheme (Fadama Guys) at the governor’s office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said the Fadama Guys was a particularly unique programme targeting two main vulnerable groups-women and youths-of the population.

He observed that agriculture is becoming an antidote to the twin problem of poverty and insecurity in the country, adding that a gainfully employed citizenry would contribute in no small measure to the socioeconomic development of the state and the country.

Accordingly, Abiodun plans to put 40,000 youths on the Anchor Borrowers scheme with support from the World Bank and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He said: "I have mandated my consultant on agriculture to mainstream these sets of FADAMA graduates into our anchor borrowers programme, and by the grace of God, you will be the first beneficiaries of our anchor borrowers programme.

Under the programme, beneficiaries would be allocated a hectare of land with certificates of occupancy, provided clearing facilities, offered seedlings, fertilizer and extension services as well as off-takers who would buy off the produce for their industrial needs.

"The 'Fadama Guys' is particularly unique because it is targeted at two main vulnerable groups of our population, the youths and the women, and we are also elated that our Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach towards the successful implementation of building our future together agenda is already yielding positive results."

The governor added that the Fadama Graduate Unemployed youths Scheme (Fadama Guys) at the micro economic level would provide employment opportunities in agriculture for youths and women, adding that the macroeconomic level would help the country boost its food and self-sufficiency agenda.

According to him, "At the micro economic level, this Fadama Guys provides job employment opportunities in agriculture for our youths and women, thereby providing income and food for them and their family, but on the macroeconomic level, this is another boost to Nigeria's food and self-sufficiency agenda, which will go a long way to reduce foreign exchange spent on importation of food items that could be produced locally."

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs. Abosede Ogunleye, said the objective of the National Fadama Development Project Additional Funding was to increase the income of users of rural lands and water resources in a sustainable manner throughout the country, thereby reducing poverty and enhancing food security, urging the beneficiary to judiciously make use of the grants they received.

In his remarks, the Consultant to the governor on agriculture, Dr. Adetunji Oredipe, said the conception and implementation of Fadama Guys has provided a unique opportunity for the programme practitioners and government to harness the energy, motivation and innovation of the young people to strengthen the drive for diversification of the economy and social change, adding that beneficiaries of the programme must be a Nigerian youth, a graduate from any higher institution or an holder of the Secondary School Leaving Certificate who has practiced farming  between the age of 18 and 35.

Oredipe also added that such beneficiary must have computer; have access to land where the agriculture enterprise would be cited, adding that a written statement stating that the beneficiary was willing to become an Agri-preneur would also be required.

Also in his remarks, the National Project Coordinator of Fadama Guys, Mr. Balarabe Abdulrahman, represented by Mr. Adeleke Adeyemi, expressed his appreciation to the Ogun State Government for its support and keen interest in the project Fadama 3, saying the gesture would boost the state rating by the National Office and the World Bank.

In his response, the President of the Fadama Guys in Ogun State, Mr. Adebanjo Daniel, thanked the state government for its support, promising to judiciously use the grants received.

At the flag-off of the Fadama Project, 200 beneficiaries were presented with cheque.